# Montecristo #4, bleeeee



## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

SO the very first box of CC I ever got was Monti #4. That was a year ago almost, and they've been sitting in my himi ever since. I pick one up once every few months, and each time it sucks!
It's light in flavor, zero twang, just a very plain, crappy salty tasting cigar.

WTH!?

Should I get another box and stash it away for years? Or are those just bleee?


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## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

I have found these to be pretty good ROTT and even better with age. I have never smoked one over 5 years old, though.


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## Dog Rockets (Oct 1, 2008)

Must be that communist quality control at work, I absolutely love these!


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## gator_79 (Sep 16, 2009)

I have never had a #4, but the #2 I had was Very good.


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## Rodeo (May 25, 2009)

Welcome to the world of high production cuban cigars. I really like Monte 4s when they are on but the apparent lack of quality control keeps me from buying them anymore. Too many bland/bad cigars being put out. Feel the same about the Monte 2, which is even more of a crapshoot IMO

Sucks, because I smoke PCs more than any other vitola, if the Monte 4s were more consistent they would have a regular place in the rotation.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Rodeo said:


> Welcome to the world of high production cuban cigars. I really like Monte 4s when they are on but the apparent lack of quality control keeps me from buying them anymore. Too many bland/bad cigars being put out. Feel the same about the Monte 2, which is even more of a crapshoot IMO
> 
> Sucks, because I smoke PCs more than any other vitola, if the Monte 4s were more consistent they would have a regular place in the rotation.


I have always been a fan of Monte and while it has been hit or miss
I believe the 09's to be much better than some of the previous yrs.
IMHO, the 09's are already better than the 07' and 08's...
The draw has also been better with the #2 as of late.


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## PufPufPass (Feb 24, 2010)

I felt the same after I ordered singles and one of them was Monte 4. After all I read about it and the CA ratings and that it is not as popular as No.2 and should be more consistant, it was like you described, bland, straight tobaco flavor, i put it out half way through, was a waste, now from the same buy, PSD4 was good and had a good suttle twang, enjoyable, must get better after a year.. the others are still cooking in the humi for now, I might try the RyJ Churchill next, since I loved, absolutely loved RyJ Cedros Delux No.1 with 3 years on it and that is the only CC I am thinking of spending $165 on the box and let them rest..


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## rcruz1211 (Aug 4, 2008)

Man, I'm sorry to hear this. This is definately on my list to try.


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

They could be sick. Hopefully, they'll turn around for you.


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## Rodeo (May 25, 2009)

There are vendors out there that will inspect boxes for you and send you one that has the proper aroma, color, and sheen. If I ever buy Monte 4s again, I would go this route, and hopefully increase the chance of getting a good box. 

Right now, I'm stocked up on Dip 4's, PLPC, Boli PCs, Principes, Reyes, and Sig I and IIs (the lSigs being too expensive for an everyday smoke, unfortunately)


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

sirxlaughs said:


> They could be sick. Hopefully, they'll turn around for you.


the only thing sick around here is the a$$hole doing QC on my Monti #4's


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

I've waited for them to turn around for a year now. no other cuban has treated me like this... well, actually all the monti #2 I've ever had were total crap too. come to think of it, only good monti i ever had was the edmundo...

lame!


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Martin, I agree with Bruno. They may be in a sick period. They are not the #1 selling Cuban cigar in the world for nothing. When on they are an excellent cigar.

Of course it is entirely possible that you received a bad batch.

My suggestion is to just lay them down and forget about them for another year or two and then revisit. If they are still "blah" then at least you have given them full opportunity to improve.


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## tiger187126 (Jul 17, 2010)

i smoked one of mine ROTT (and i mean this in the most literal sense) and it was pretty good all around.

now the boli pc i smoked ROTT gave me a similar experience to what you described, so i'm with everyone else that says they might be sick.

leave them for longer and see if they don't turn around. i don't think they're going to run out of these any time soon.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

mvorbrodt said:


> I've waited for them to turn around for a year now. no other cuban has treated me like this... well, actually all the monti #2 I've ever had were total crap too. come to think of it, only good monti i ever had was the edmundo...
> 
> lame!


These usually smoke well ROTT IMHO. If they are indeed flat and bland due to the fact they are a bad run. You can sit on them till doomsday and nothing is going to change. On another note you have other cigars to smoke so put these away for a couple of years. No peeking and see what happens you have nothing to lose. And maybe just maybe something to gain!:beerchug:


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

Depending on the humidity in your humidor, if it's at the level where they're going to go into a new round of fermentation, they may or may not be sick. My personal opinion is that if the box is more than a year old, they should be through their first fermentation and not be "sick." Sometimes you just get a crappy box, especially with high-production cigars like Monte 2 and 4, or PSD4.

Cubans are the best cigars, hands down, but sometimes there are just plain crappy cigars coming out in a particular box. You might get a totally different experience in a year, but if you've taken good care of the cigars this long and there's been no real improvement in their quality even after smoking one when you got the box, in between, and now a year later, it's not a sick period. If you got the box a year ago, Feb 2010, it had to at least be an 09 or maybe 08 box. Personally, I'm skeptical on the sick period and am just going to suggest bad luck, but I'll open it back up to the rest of the gang for debate!


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## ROB968323 (Aug 27, 2008)

Every one I have smoked has been flavorful, salty, and uhhh twangy.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

Damne it! Off they go to a BOTL in NYC...
I'm not smoking another one any time soon! They SUCK! I'm going to spend my money on Siglo IV instead


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

I was just about to say, "send them my way". Since they suck so bad I will at least cover the shipping. A free sucky cc is always better than an expensive and sucky nc.

Seriously, I picked up a dog nobody wanted and I still have em, I will take those doggy smokes off your hands...no problem.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

OK guys. Let's not be talking about making deals out in the open. Keep it to PM.


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## karmaz00 (Dec 5, 2007)

just wondering on what the box code is..?


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Yes if their young i would wait!:dude:


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## Tarks (Mar 3, 2009)

mvorbrodt said:


> Damne it! Off they go to a BOTL in NYC...
> I'm not smoking another one any time soon! They SUCK! I'm going to spend my money on Siglo IV instead


Patience young grasshopper, patience!


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Tarks said:


> Patience young grasshopper, patience!


I have a feeling Martin is going to be very sad when in a year or two he finds out they have settled down and are now smoking fabulously. :frusty:


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

Habanolover said:


> OK guys. Let's not be talking about making deals out in the open. Keep it to PM.


Sorry Big Poppa! I was only joking....errrrrrr......serious.......errrr....joking

I mean my comments were meant to be made in jest. I have been trying to convince Martin to replace his palate (JK) and not these fine smokes for a while now but he just won't listen....lol!!


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## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

Habanolover said:


> I have a feeling Martin is going to be very sad when in a year or two he finds out they have settled down and are now smoking fabulously. :frusty:


+1:smoke2:


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

Seriously though guys, and I apologize if this leads us off on a tangent, but everything I've heard is that a true "sick period" can occur within a year of being rolled and still fermenting. Maybe a little beyond that but even MRN, who likes to wax on and on about the various "fermentations," admits a sick period should end after a year of rolling.

Other fermentations can begin later on during long-term storage, but if they're outside of the sick window, I don't see how it can be "sick." I see "sick period" tossed around every time someone smokes a bad cigar...can we not acknowledge that some cigars are just duds? 

I agree that aging can improve cigars immensely, no argument there. But a sick period is a relatively small window of time and is not going to last for all of a cigar's young life. If they sucked when he bought them a year ago, okay, maybe sick. They're not going to be in the same sick period a year later. Sick period is a pretty specific thing where young cigars are going through round one of fermentation and are giving off nasty ammonia taste, which isn't what he got either.

It sounds like he just got some bland-tasting duds.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Frinkiac7 said:


> Seriously though guys, and I apologize if this leads us off on a tangent, but everything I've heard is that a true "sick period" can occur within a year of being rolled and still fermenting. Maybe a little beyond that but even MRN, who likes to wax on and on about the various "fermentations," admits a sick period should end after a year of rolling.
> 
> Other fermentations can begin later on during long-term storage, but if they're outside of the sick window, I don't see how it can be "sick." I see "sick period" tossed around every time someone smokes a bad cigar...can we not acknowledge that some cigars are just duds?
> 
> ...


While I agree I will also point out that cigars go though several maturations and also periods where they are "flat". There is an old post here where a guy had been smoking cigars out of a box that was around 10 - 15 years old. He lit one up one day and the cigar was almost tasteless. He tried another a couple of days later with the same result. He ended up putting them back down and after about 6 more months he tried one and they had returned to their previous glory.

Of course the ones Martin has could just be a bad batch. The thing is you never really know. :hmm:


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

karmaz00 said:


> just wondering on what the box code is..?


Those came form 5x5 pack. There was the old gov. stamp on them.



Tarks said:


> Patience young grasshopper, patience!


out:



Habanolover said:


> I have a feeling Martin is going to be very sad when in a year or two he finds out they have settled down and are now smoking fabulously. :frusty:


Then Martin will order a box or two, let them sit for few years, and in the mean time Martin will smoke ALL THE OTHER great CCs he has 



tpharkman said:


> Sorry Big Poppa! I was only joking....errrrrrr......serious.......errrr....joking
> 
> I mean my comments were meant to be made in jest. I have been trying to convince Martin to replace his palate (JK) and not these fine smokes for a while now but he just won't listen....lol!!


Nice try Thad 
Seriously, everytime I tried one they sucked!



Frinkiac7 said:


> Seriously though guys, and I apologize if this leads us off on a tangent, but everything I've heard is that a true "sick period" can occur within a year of being rolled and still fermenting. Maybe a little beyond that but even MRN, who likes to wax on and on about the various "fermentations," admits a sick period should end after a year of rolling.
> 
> Other fermentations can begin later on during long-term storage, but if they're outside of the sick window, I don't see how it can be "sick." I see "sick period" tossed around every time someone smokes a bad cigar...can we not acknowledge that some cigars are just duds?
> 
> ...


Exactly. They were simply tasteless, back to the past:

http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/habanos-discussion/268635-normal-cc-sour-out-box.html

There was never any strong smell or taste coming from them. Just some mild tobacco flavors. No twang. No sweetness. Nothing.

Anyways, I've got 6 left and will be sending them to a BOTL (no this was not a trade or sale, just a friendly bombing  ).

M.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Martin, I have been stuck on a few 5 packs....IMHO, they suck when compared to boxes...They are just not a good environment to store cigars. The 09 Monte's are much better than 07 and 08.....Buy a box and let time reward you.....If it doesn't work out, I am sure you can find uses for them


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

You should just give up on Cubans Martin. You never seem to have much but trouble with them so if you want reliability let me suggest an AF of some sort. As others have stated, they are not the most popular Cuban without reason.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

Tashaz said:


> You should just give up on Cubans Martin. You never seem to have much but trouble with them so if you want reliability let me suggest an AF of some sort. As others have stated, they are not the most popular Cuban without reason.


Psh! You give up cubans, Ausie!



JK!

Actually I've had plenty of luck! Most ALL the CC's I've got are GREAT! Just those Monti #4's... and just because they sucked for me, does not mean I don't know what I'm doing.

AF... please....


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

mvorbrodt said:


> Psh! You give up cubans, Ausie!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Actually, I remember ready a lot about Martin and Davidoff's a few months ago.....But I am old and my mind isn't what it used to be.....:whoo: jk


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

mvorbrodt said:


> Psh! You give up cubans, Ausie!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LMAO. non Cubans are illegal here I think since they are so scarce. I'll have to continue to suffer the umbrage of Cubans.

Davidoff? _Puuullleeeeaaassseeee nooooooooo!!!!_ :moony:


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

asmartbull said:


> Actually, I remember ready a lot about Martin and Davidoff's a few months ago.....But I am old and my mind isn't what it used to be.....:whoo: jk


If we ever get him on the Cuban Davidoffs he will be doomed!


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> Actually, I remember ready a lot about Martin and Davidoff's a few months ago.....But I am old and my mind isn't what it used to be.....:whoo: jk


That was looooooong ago and half of it wasn't even true 



Tashaz said:


> LMAO. non Cubans are illegal here I think since they are so scarce. I'll have to continue to suffer the umbrage of Cubans.
> 
> Davidoff? _Puuullleeeeaaassseeee nooooooooo!!!!_ :moony:






Habanolover said:


> If we ever get him on the Cuban Davidoffs he will be doomed!


Wait what? Is there one? OMG OMG Really? :whoo:


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

mvorbrodt said:


> Wait what? Is there one? OMG OMG Really? :whoo:


Yep. Here is a review. *http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/habanos-reviews/260492-davidoff-chateau-mouton-rothschild-birthday-smoke.html*

Enjoy!


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## Tarks (Mar 3, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Yep. Here is a review. *http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/habanos-reviews/260492-davidoff-chateau-mouton-rothschild-birthday-smoke.html*
> 
> Enjoy!


How the heck did I miss that review! Nice Donnie!


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Tarks said:


> How the heck did I miss that review! Nice Donnie!


I would love to get more but when I look at the price I am like :faint2:


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## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

That was a fantastic review, now I just have to win the lottery! lol


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## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

Zfog said:


> That was a fantastic review, now I just have to win the lottery! lol


Nah, you just have to start giving up silly things like food,electricity,mortgage payments, etc.! :bounce:


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## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

CeeGar said:


> Nah, you just have start giving silly things like food,electricity,mortgage payments, etc.! :bounce:


Let me just clear that with the Wife real quick! :moony:


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

Maybe this isn't significant but it could be. I purchased a 15 pack or 3 five packs of Monte 4s about 6 months ago, maybe even longer. The first one I smoked ROTT and I thought I wasted my money. I mean it sucked. I removed all the cigars from their cardboard boxes and placed them into an empty cedar box and placed that box in the coolidor. 

A few weeks back I smoked one of those Monte 4s and it was outstanding. Could be the six extra months but it could also be the fact that they were stored in the appropriate cedar box instead of cardboard. I can't wait to smoke the others as they grow up.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

tpharkman said:


> Maybe this isn't significant but it could be. I purchased a 15 pack or 3 five packs of Monte 4s about 6 months ago, maybe even longer. The first one I smoked ROTT and I thought I wasted my money. I mean it sucked. I removed all the cigars from their cardboard boxes and placed them into an empty cedar box and placed that box in the coolidor.
> 
> A few weeks back I smoked one of those Monte 4s and it was outstanding. Could be the six extra months but it could also be the fact that they were stored in the appropriate cedar box instead of cardboard. I can't wait to smoke the others as they grow up.


Mine were takes out of the paper boxes the day the arrived. Were resting in my humi since April'10, so ALMOST a year. Sucked when I got them. Still suck today.


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## PJD (Aug 15, 2009)

I still have about 18 or so left from a full box that arrived last summer (so probably 08 or 09 - too lazy to look at the moment). My experience has not quite mirrored yours Martin but it's not too far off. They're not sick, but not all that flavourful either. To add to the fun, all but two have been very hard draws as well. If I get one going nicely, about an inch in, I get some good flavours and twang but honestly that's not good enough for me. I'll keep them around, and maybe bump them up to 65-67% (they're sitting around 61-63% now) and see how they are this summer.

My Monte 2s, on the other hand, are phenomenal. I still have a handful of 08s that I'm saving for something special, plus about half a box of DIC 09s. I'll buy more Monte 2s but I probably would not buy another box of Monte 4s.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> Martin, I have been stuck on a few 5 packs....IMHO, they suck when compared to boxes...They are just not a good environment to store cigars. The 09 Monte's are much better than 07 and 08.....Buy a box and let time reward you.....If it doesn't work out, I am sure you can find uses for them


Yes indeed i remember many 4th of July celebrations. Cigars you don't like are excellent for lighting fireworks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:laser:


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## Stinkdyr (Jun 19, 2009)

mvorbrodt said:


> SO the very first box of CC I ever got was Monti #4. That was a year ago almost, and they've been sitting in my himi ever since. I pick one up once every few months, and each time it sucks!
> It's light in flavor, zero twang, just a very plain, crappy salty tasting cigar.
> 
> WTH!?
> ...


I vote "bleeee" as you see below in my notes:

Montecristo cc #4 5x42 keflavik bot: Jul-09 smoked: Jul-09 rating: 5 cost: 10.00 Tight draw, hard feel. Needs humi age. Good volume smoke, med body. ok sfwd tobacco flavor. Worth $3 max.

Jul-09 Oct-09 5 10.00 Tight draw. Good volume smoke; Canoe and batcave burn issues; med body. Some pepper, wood & tobacco flavor. Worth $3 max.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Stink, if you are paying $10 for a Monte #4 you may want to look at finding another vendor or two. :2


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## Stinkdyr (Jun 19, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> Stink, if you are paying $10 for a Monte #4 you may want to look at finding another vendor or two. :2


Oh, I know they can be had cheaper. But, I was there.....they were there...


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## bouncintiga (Feb 3, 2010)

aw sorry you didn't like them martin, these are one of my favorite cigars. although I will admit there have been consistency issues. when they are on though with proper rest, i love em. i love PC's and these are my favorite in the format.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Great short smokes IMO.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

I revisited a box of 08 #4's today
and have to tell ya.....
A fantastic cigar, especially when you factor in price.
Great burn, construction and flavor.....
I guess I have just been luck, because I really have not had a 
bad Monte.....some not as good as other,,,but most very good.

Looking at how many boxes of these I have gone through over the past
cpl yrs......I am not the only one enjoying them.

My son just requested another box of #4's and San cristobal El Principe So 
I am sure our LEO's are enjoying them tooooo


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## Shaz (Oct 10, 2008)

I had to try one from a box that I had resting for a couple of months. These were from 2010, didn't look at the month. I thought it was pretty good. Got a litlle mild in the middle, but certainly had that twang.


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